Common Conditions

Shoulder Surgery: Research Says It Might be Useless

If you suffer from shoulder pain, you’re not alone. Every year, nearly a quarter of American adults endure the discomfort of shoulder aches, per NIH – with many patients choosing to undergo surgery for shoulder pain relief. But this common procedure for rotator cuff repair may be pointless, as a recent study suggests that shoulder surgery may not work at all.

When experiencing shoulder issues, the ability to move freely and can cause a great deal of pain and discomfort. According to the Mayo Clinic,shoulder pain is usually caused from the shoulder joint itself or from any of the many surrounding muscles, ligaments or tendons, and may worsen with activities or movement of your arm or shoulder.

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A common shoulder injury is a tear in the rotator cuff, which is a group of muscles and tendons that keep the head of your upper arm bone firmly within the shallow socket of the shoulder. In fact, theAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons estimates that in 2013, almost 2 million people in the United States went to their doctors because of a rotator cuff problem. An injured rotator cuff can cause a painful dull ache making daily activities, like getting dressed or even sleeping, painful and difficult to do.